Lost and Regained
by SheepShepherding
Summary: Samantha Manson is an 18 year old girl dealing with the loss of her mother and an abusive father. She moves to a new town, and at her new school meets Daniel Fenton and Tucker Foley. Constantly struggling, she finds comfort in her new relationships. Rated M for personal content.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hey, guys. A few of you have marked this as a favorite, and I want to apologize for leaving you hanging for three years. I can't promise anything, but I want to try to make this story. I've changed a couple things. It probably won't be very noticeable. Here goes! God bless.**

**Disclaimer: What's Butch Hartman's is his, and what's mine is mine.**

I splashed cold water on my face and looked at myself in the mirror. 'Who am I?' I often asked myself. But no matter how hard I searched for the answer, I could never find it. And now that I've moved to a new city, finding myself would be even harder. Or would it? Maybe it would be easier. Maybe I'd find a fit; a mold.  
...But it was only wishful thinking.

My father and I moved to Amity Park to run away. He called it "moving on." We had to get away from home. Or rather...from a nightmare. My mother commited suicide. I found her in the bathroom upstairs. Deep valleys were carved into her wrists. Her lifeless body was limp in the bloody water. Her head hung back, relaxed, as if she were sleeping and would wake up at any moment.

I avoided that bathroom from then on. I couldn't even look at the closed doorn that no longer opened. My father grieved in his own way. His dull stares pierced through me, though he never looked at me. Whenever he spoke, it was as if he were accusing me. Blaming me for her death. He never said it outright, but his tone was clear. I remember the way he'd grip his coffee cup each morning as I entered the kitchen.

I grabbed the hand towel and dried my face. I wondered what my new school was going to be like. What kind of people went there. Were they all the same? Were they different? Would I be accepted? I hoped to make at least one friend. I never had many back at home. And the ones I did have didn't stick around for very long. They realized how messed up I became. At first, they were supportive because a mother's death is something unimaginable. But they tired of my attitude. My constant state of depression and existential view of the world. I could almost understand. Who would want to be around someone who never ever smiled, who wreaked of days-old clothes and unwashed hair, who didn't care about anything or anyone?

I sighed heavily and made my way into my new bedroom. It was pretty large. My family had always been very wealthy. Even with my mother gone, my father made more than enough. He was the most successful lawyer in the central United States. My mother had been a well-known novelist. I never understood why they married. She was artistic and sensitive. He was logical and hard-pressed.

I sprawled out on my bed and laid there, staring at the ceiling. It wasn't one of those popcorn ceilings, so I couldn't make out any shapes. But it seemed to swirl just the same. Everything seemed to go in circles these days. I kept asking myself the same questions and coming to the same answers. It was exhausting and it proved that I didn't know anything at all.

I crawled under the white sheets and the deep imperial purple comforter. I sighed in contentment. There was something about having your own room. The privacy, the sweet loneliness, and the way you could really make it your own. A lot of people didn't like being alone. Maybe they were afraid of beling left with their thoughts. Or maybe they were afraid of abandonment. But I thrived in solitude. I didn't have to worry about what other people thought. I could be totally and completely myself. I didn't have to speak out loud, I didn't have to try. I could simply just...be.

I tried not to think about what lay ahead of me the next day. I concentrated on the sound of my breathing, and it soon lulled me to sleep.

DP-DP-DP-DP-DP-DP-DP

I dreamed of my parents. My father was blind, walking up a staircase. My mother was dancing on the pages of her books. They couldn't see each other. Or me. I called to them, but they couldn't hear me. I yelled, I screamed, but still...Nothing. My screaming seemed to go on for hours, until I woke up to the sound of my alarm. I groped for the treacherous thing and switched it off.

Lazily, I got out of bed and walked to my bathroom. I turned on the shower and waited for the water to get hot. I stripped my clothes and stepped in, immediately relaxing once the water began to massage my muscles. They were tight, always tight. I never seemed to relax.

After I was finished with my shower and getting dressed, I went downstairs into the kitchen. I knew what waited for me.

"Morning, Dad," I mumbled. I began to fear my father's blank stare. I opened the refrigerator.

"Good morning," he replied. His words iced over me. It had been six months since my mother's death. I was beginning to suspect he might hurt me like he did her. My father had never physically hurt me, only my mother. But he was rather emotionally abusive to the both of us.

Not in the mood to eat, I pulled out a pitcher of orange juice and poured it into a glass. I slowly sat down at the table across from my father. He was reading the paper and drinking coffee. I didn't dare look at him.

"How are you?" I wanted him to love me again.

"Oh, just fine. And yourself?" It was as if he were mocking me.

"Fine," I said quietly. I downed the juice and grabbed my things. "I'm going to school now."

"Would you like me to take you?" Disdain and contempt.

"No, I'll walk." It was only fifteen minutes. I had checked a map online.

I quickly left the house and made my way to Casper High. The whole town was rumored to be haunted. Many apparitions were seen, voices heard, that kind of thing. It was even reported that some were physically harmed. I was pretty skeptical, but who knew? Maybe the town really was haunted. Or maybe everyone was just crazy. It sure was a beautiful place, though. As I walked to school, I saw frosted bare trees everywhere lining the streets. It was near the end of January, and a new semester was beginning.

My heart beat a little faster as I entered the perimeter of the school. Many kids were outside chatting or goofing off. They seemed like your typical teenagers. I noticed a few cheerleaders practicing their routine, one girl in particular. She had long, thick dark hair and a caramel complexion. Her figure was that of a girl on the conver of a sports magazine, though her hips were round. She was so beautiful, until I heard her laugh in an annoying high pitch. She was laughing at a kid wearing glasses who accidentally dropped a large stack of books he was carrying.

Then I saw him, the most beautiful boy I had ever seen. He was helping out the kid the gorgeous cheerleader was making fun of. His hair was jet black and his eyes were the clearest blue. His slight tan glistened in the sunlight. I saw him say something to another guy who was standing next to him. He was a mixed race and wore a strange red beret. They both walked into school with the one who dropped his books.

I walked up to the doors, feeling on me the judging eyes of the Latina.


	2. Chapter 2

As much as I hated to admit it, I loved math. It was everywhere. I was always noticing patterns. They were in the sky, in the words people spoke, in music, everywhere. That's why I was in Calculus. It just seemed natural to me.

Ms. Lauderman was my teacher. Her red hair was in a very sloppy braid and she wore large glasses with thick lenses. She spoke as if everything she said was an epiphany. But despite her quirks, I liked her. She was different. I always appreciated anything or anyone unique.

I sat near the front behind a guy I saw earlier with the red hat. I could see him fiddling with a PDA underneath his desk every time the teacher turned her back. I thought it was kind of amusing. What could he be doing with the PDA that was so important? He didn't even seem to be paying attention to the lesson.

Then I heard what I had been anticipating.

"Mr. Foley, I'm not a blind bat. Please bring your technological device to my desk." Her reference to a blind bat made me chuckle. If she didn't wear her glasses, she probably would be as blind as a bat. The Foley kid sighed heavily and reluctantly brought his PDA to the front. For a moment, I thought I saw him actually kiss the thing goodbye.

He walked back to his desk looking completely defeated. I almost pitied the guy. Then he turned around in his seat and spoke to me.

"Are you a new student? I don't recognize you," he whispered. From far away, it wasn't noticeable. But he had a few freckles trailing across the bridge of his nose and dark teal eyes.

"Um, yeah. I'm Sam." I fiddled with my pen. How awkward it was meeting new people.

"Nice to meet you, Sam. I'm Tucker," he said with a smile. His front left tooth was the only crooked tooth in his mouth. I smiled back and continued with my notes.

Later during the class when it was ten minutes 'till the bell, Tucker turned back around.

"So, what brings you to Amity?" I couldn't tell if he was just being polite or if he was genuinely interested in getting to know me. Not wanting to reveal the real reason, I told a half-truth.

"Oh, just wanted to get a fresh start. The city we used to live in wasn't working out for us." It was pretty much true. I just left out the mess.

"Us?"

I fidgeted. "My dad and I." Please don't ask about my mom.

"What about your mom?" I sighed, hating where this conversation was going. But then the teacher saved me.

"Don't forget to do your homework!" She shouted excitedly. "We will be having a quiz next week." Everyone groaned.

Avoiding the subject I didn't want to dive into, I changed it. "Hey, what do you know about this town being haunted?"

Tucker looked a little surprised. "Well, it's true if that's what you want to know. There are all sorts of sightings and scares."

I was skeptical. Maybe he was lying to me to try and impress me. But if not, it wouldn't hurt to ask questions. "Do they...hurt people?"

"Unfortunately, there have been some real nasty ones that have injured some people. It's not too common, but...I've seen it happen." There was something in the way his eyes looked after he said those words. One look I couldn't quite place, and another...honest fear.  
It didn't seem like Tucker was lying, but I wasn't going to believe anything until I saw it. He seemed to pick up on that. "You'll see. Everyone does." Soon the bell rang and I headed to my next class. I had a feeling that my time spent in this town was not going to be usual.

DP-DP-DP-DP-DP-DP-DP

Lunch time came around. I had no idea what the food was going to be like, so I brought my own. It seemed like schools didn't really consider veganism. I didn't touch anything that came from an animal. Along with my own lunch, I brought a book. I had been expecting to sit alone. But then I heard somebody call my name.

"Sam!" I looked behind me. It was Tucker. "You want to come sit with me at lunch?" Wow. I was a little bit shocked, and it caused my social graces to stumble. Not that I had any to begin with.

"Uh, sure. Thanks." I followed him to a small table near the back of the cafeteria. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him again. The guy with the amazing blue eyes. I sat down next to Tucker as he introduced us.

"Sam, this is my best friend, Danny. Danny, this is Sam. She's a new student here."

"Hi," Danny said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hey." His eyes were even more spectacular up close. The colors were muted, but so bold. His crooked smile made me breathless. How could anyone be so beautiful?

"How do you like Amity so far?" His voice was unique. Everyone's is, but his had something special hidden underneath all the chords.

"It's...a little unusual. But I think I'm going to like it here." I took my lunch out of its bag. I made it the previous night. A baked tofu sandwich with lettuc, mustard, soy cheese, and tomatoes.

"How did you guys meet?" Danny picked absentmindedly at his food as he spoke.

"We're in the same math class," Tucker replied. He took a sloppy bite out of a giant cheeseburger. I shuddred in disgust.

Danny looked surprised. "You take Calculus?"

"Yeah." I hoped he didn't think I was like some girls; shallow and uneducated.

"That's pretty cool. You're like the only person I know who's good at math."

"Hey!" Tucker attempted to jab him in the ribs. I laughed.

As they were pretending to fight each other, two girls came up to our table. I recognized one of them. She was the Latina who I thought was beautiful. The other girl had long, silky blonde hair and a nasty smirk on her lips. "Hey, Danny," the darker one spoke.

"Um, hey, Paulina." He rubbed his neck again.

"Will you help me study for the History test tonight?" Her voice was oddly nasally. She twirled a piece of her hair and batted her eyelashes. Oh, God.

"It's in three weeks."

"I know, but I just want to be prepared. Besides, you're so good at it." She smiled a poisonous smile and for a second, I thought it might work on the poor guy.

"Sorry, Paulina. But I already have plans." He smiled apologetically and shrugged.

Her face seemed to snap into a perfect scowl. "Fine." She and her friend turned and stomped away.

"Man, that girl is moody," said Tucker.

"Who is she?" I was very curious.

"She's the most popular girl in school. Everybody either wants to date her or to be her. But the only reason she even talks to us is because she thinks Danny is friends with Inviso-Bill. She's got a major crush on him."

"Tucker!" Danny quietly hissed.

"Who's...Inviso-Bill?" What a strange and comically clever name.

"He's another ghost in the town, but one of the good ones. Well, the only good one, really. He's sort of our protector."

I turned to Danny. "Why does Paulina think you're friends with him?"

He glanced at Tucker, then back at me. "I don't know." Something told me he wasn't telling the truth.

The rest of the lunch period consisted mostly of ghost talk and a little bit about ourselves. Danny and Tucker seemed like real people. They didn't try to be somebody they weren't, and they were genuinely nice. I liked that a lot. And to add on to Danny's good looks, he seemed funny, smart, and kind. I had never met anyone like these two. Danny's parents were ghost hunters. I guess the town must really be haunted if everyone talks about it. I shouldn't really expect anything else. It is a strange place.

DP-DP-DP-DP-DP-DP

When I got home from school, I was relieved to find that my father was still at work. His presence was always uncomfortable. But when he was home, I wished with all of my heart that he would accept me. I wasn't sure why he even bothered to acknowledge me. I couldn't feel his love. I couldn't feel his appreciation. Why didn't he just send me away? Maybe he didn't want to be alone, I don't know. The death of my mother was hard on him. It was hard on the both of us.

I went up to my room to start on my homework. I didn't have much, but I didn't want to start up again my habit of procrastinating. To make myself more comfortable, I changed into some black sweatpants and an over-sized gray t-shirt. Comfort always made it easier to concentrate.  
About ten minutes into my homework, my cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Samantha, this is your father."

"Hi, dad. How's work?" I mentally sighed. I wish I didn't have to force myself to be polite.

"Great. Listen, I want you to have dinner ready and on the table by the time I get home."

"Okay."

"And I want you to make a habit of it. I'm going to be exhausted and I want to come home to a good meal. Is that understood?"

"Yes, dad. I'd be happy to."

"Alright, good. I'll be home around six o'clock every evening. Are you doing your homework?"

"Yes, dad." I want so much to please him.

"Good. See you at six. Goodbye, Samantha."

"Bye, dad. See you soon." I hung up the phone. I heaved a sigh and relaxed in my chair. Talking to him was a constant game of minesweeper. I always had to choose my words carefully and obey him. Otherwise he'd blow up. And I hated that.


	3. Chapter 3

A couple of weeks had passed. I hadn't seen or heard any ghosts. I was growing more skeptical, but was willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. And to make things even more strange than they already seemed, Danny kept running off for moments at a time. Tucker usually gave me some sort of excuse as to why, but I knew something was up. I just had no idea what it was.

As to life at home, my father mostly kept to himself. I was thankful for that, but I couldn't remember the last time he seemed to enjoy his time spent with me. I felt like a huge burden to him. I didn't want to talk to him about it because I was afraid my fears would be proven true. So I kept it to myself.

As I sat in my lit class reading Macbeth, my thoughts kept wandering over to Danny. I tried to concentrate on the play, but it was like my mind was magnetized toward him. I thought about the way his eyes seemed to tell me something he couldn't voice aloud, but mostly I wondered what he thought about. What were his fears, his dreams, his accomplishments...But I figured in time I would find out. I already found out he likes astronomy (which was surprising), he hates the word "mush," and doesn't know the difference between cerulean and pacific blue. Which, embarrassingly, I blurted were both colors in his eyes. Of course I turned red, and of course he didn't know what to say. I mentally slapped myself in the face.

On the way to lunch, I headed to my locker to put away a textbook. The hallways were too narrow, so every time the bell rang, students would scrample off to their next class bumping into each other. It was especially annoying when some kids just stood in a circle talking to each other, blocking everyone's way. A couple of times I had to firmly tell them to move. It worked after a while, but I think that's because they were younger than me.

Right when I got to my locker, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I smelled an almost overwhelming scent of flowery perfume. I turned my head and almost rolled my eyes when I saw who the person was. Paulina, with her blonde friend by her side.

"Yes?" I prompted. I fiddled with the lock. I was having a difficult time getting it open.

"Stay away from Danny," she demanded. She slightly paused after each word to sound threatening, but I think she tried a bit too hard.

"I...No?" I wasn't sure how to respond to something like that. I still couldn't get my locker open, and I was becoming increasingly frustrated.

"Look, bitch. I don't have time for your attitude. Just stay away from him or you'll be sorry." I sighed and turned around. Her brown eyes were strangely cool for someone who sounded so angry. Her perfect pink lips gave her away. They were set in a slight frown.

"If you don't have time for my attitude, then just leave me alone." I turned my back to her and once again tried opening the stupid locker.

"Whatever, loser. You're just jealous because Danny is in love with me." Logically I knew her words were empty. Who could ever fall in love with someone who acted like that? But they still sank to the bottom of my stomach.

I heard them walk swiftly away as I finally opened my locker. I placed my book inside and headed to the cafeteria.

"I don't even know Paulina and she's already giving me trouble." I heaved a sigh and plopped myself down next to Tucker and Danny. I tore open my lunch sack and chomped on a sandwich.

"Dude, what happened?" Tucker was mid-chew on a sloppy joe.

"She threatened me to stay away from Danny."

"Me? Why?" He sounded incredulous. His eyes widened with curiosity.

"I'm guessing it was because she thinks you know Inviso-Bill. She probably thinks our newfound friendship will get in the way of her getting closer to him." I wasn't even tasting my food; just shoving it down my throat.

"But I'm friends with Tucker and she's never said anything like that to him."

"That's because Sam's a girl, bro," Tucker said suggestively.

"Oh...Right," he said quietly. How awkward.

"Anyway...I hope she doesn't try to talk to me again." Hiding my unease, I broke the tension. "I might have to do something drastic." My eyes widened and I smiled maniacally.

"Like what, stuff your nasty tofu down her throat until she chokes?" Tucker took a large bite out of his food and continued, spitting food out of his mouth in the process. "Let me tell you, that is the last way I would want to die."

"Ugh, Tucker!" I covered my food with my hands, protecting it from the human garbage disposal. Tucker and Danny laughed. And so did I, forgetting about my encounter with Paulina as they told jokes the rest of the lunch period.

After school, I met up with Tucker and Danny. We made plans to hang out at the Nasty Burger and then at the park. I was relieved when I discovered that the restaurant served garden burgers. The time spent there was pretty much like lunchtime, but with better conversations. And better food, despite its name.

We were sitting on a small hill in the park under a large evergreen tree. The sun was setting, casting brilliant shadows on the ground and adding color to the sky. I couldn't help but notice how the light set on Danny's face. He looked like a Greek god. I know that's dramatic, but I'm merely exaggerating to convey how attractive he was. I mentally sighed. 'Silly Sam,' I thought. 'Don't get yourself too attached.'

Just when we were in the middle of a conversation, Danny shot up from his seat on the ground. "Uh, I forgot I have to...go pick something up...from the library. I'll see you guys later, okay?" And with that, he ran off. I looked at Tucker with a confused glance.

"Is the library even open at this hour?"

"Yeah, I think so." Tucker kept his eyes away from me. Something was definitely up.

Then I remembered. "Crap, what time is it?"

Tucker looked at his technologically advanced watch. "6:03. Why?"

"Oh, no. This is not good. I have to go home right now." I am screwed, screwed, screwed! I was supposed to have dinner on the table three minutes ago. I really hoped my father wasn't too mad.

I cautiously opened the front door of my house and left my things by the stairs. I went into the kitchen, hoping that maybe my dad was late from work. To my dismay, he was not. I saw him sitting at the dining table staring at me with that look of his. The one that passes right through me.

"Samantha, where have you been?" His voice was calm, but I knew he wasn't.

"Um, I went to the Nasty Burger with a couple of friends from school. I'm real sorry I'm late, I lost track of time."

"You lost track of time," he repeated. "Well, Samantha. Because you lost track of time, I came home to a bare dinner table. How do you think I feel?" He hadn't moved a single inch.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"I feel frustrated because I spent a hard day at work and came home, tired, to no meal and a missing daughter." The way he said 'missing daughter' didn't tell me he missed me. He stood up and walked towards me. "Who were you with?"

"Some friends from school." I didn't like the look in his eyes now. It was unfamiliar. I instinctively took a small step back.

"Oh? You made friends, hmm? Well, isn't that lovely. And who are these friends?"

"Danny and Tucker." Boy, was he going to like that.

"Boys? Your new friends are boys." I didn't say anything. I kept quiet, figuring that any answer would probably further his anger. He was in front of me now. "Do you know what boys want, Samantha?" I seriously hoped he didn't expect me to answer that. "They want sex, and only sex. Is that what you want?" I just stood there like an idiot. "Is it?" He persisted.

"Of course not, but I-"

"That's what they want from you, Samantha."

I scoffed. "Is that all you wanted?" I instantly regretted saying that.

He slapped me in the face. "Don't you ever talk to me like that! I am your father and deserve respect!"

I was mad now. "Respect?" I laughed bitterly, but knew where this conversation was going. I didn't care. How dare he treat me like this? "How can you expect me to give you any respect when you treat me like shit?"

"Watch your tongue, Samantha! I will not tolerate cursing in this household. Now, go to your room and stay there for the night."

I glared at him, then turned around to stalk off to my room. "Bastard," I muttered.

"What did you just say?" Oops.

"Nothing." I felt him come up, grab my arms, and turn me around to face him.

"Don't you lie to me! What did you say?"

Holding my head up, I repeated. "Bastard." His hand flew up and slapped me again, hard. It stung like Hell and made me cry out a little. I glared at my father, stumbled backwards, and ran up to my room.

"I better hear an apology from you tomorrow!" He called.

I entered my room trying not to cry. I had to remain strong. 'What the hell just happened?' I thought. He's never hit me before. I slowly sat on the bed, touching my stinging cheek. I looked in the mirror across from my bed, above the desk. My cheek was red. I hoped that nothing would show tomorrow. I really, really didn't want anyone asking any questions. Especially Danny and Tucker.


	4. Chapter 4

I slept dreamlessly and uneasily. I didn't understand what had happened the night before, and it kept me awake for most of the night. Checking my face in the mirror, I saw no blemish. No hint of any sort of mark was there. Thank God. If there had been, I wouldn't know what to say. 'Oh, I bumped into a wall.' Come on, that's one of the oldest lies in the book. Everybody knows you're not being honest when you give a dumb answer like that.

Facing my dad was going to be a difficult thing to do, so I put it off as long as I could. I waited until he left for work to come downstairs and head out the door. My appetite ceased to exist, so I didn't even bother eating breakfast or making myself some lunch. The thought of food made my stomach curl more than my mother's hair.

...Her beautiful red hair. It was short, smooth, and perfect. Her curls seemed to loop into each other, creating never-ending spirals. Everyone was envious of her natural highlights of blonde and deep red. I missed her.

And I would not cry about it. Not at that moment, because if I did I wouldn't stop. And I wasn't ready to head to school with a puffed up face quite yet.

DP-DP-DP-DP-DP-DP

"And when I talk to her, she has this look in her eyes when she pretends to be irritated. She's totally into me," Tucker said with full confidence. He pulled a chicken leg out of his locker and annihilated it. My and Danny's eyebrows raised. "What?" he said. "I'm hungry and meat is delicious."

"Would you say the same thing if you happened to pull out cooked bull genitalia instead?" Danny crossed his arms looking triumphant.

Tucker stared at him with disgust. "That's not meat, that's just wrong. You're gross, dude." Danny laughed and I almost didn't believe I did, too.

"So, you really like Valerie, huh?" I learned that Valerie was an 'A-lister' as the rich and popular kids are titled. But her dad went bankrupt, so they moved out of their huge house and into a run-down apartment. Because of her decrease in status, the group completely shut her out. It's hard to believe stuff like that actually happens in real life.

"Yeah, I really do. She's nice now considering who she used to be, and I think what happened to her family humbled her." Tucker could be wise sometimes. "Plus, she's a total babe." Okay, occasionally.

The bell rang for class and everyone scattered.

Mr. Lancer, my English lit teacher, spoke on and on about the symbolism of the blood on Lady Macbeth's hands. I enjoyed reading Shakespeare, but sometimes teachers took the fun out of it. I sighed and rested my head on the desk. My eyelids were begging to close themselves.

A deafening noise sounded, almost like a sonic boom, and we all jumped. Then the screaming started. My heart sped up so fast I thought it was going to fly out of my chest. I was so shocked by the noises that I had no time to comprehend what was happening. Everyone bolted out of their seats to look outside the classroom. I followed after them, just as curious.

Down the hall, people were running in all directions trying to escape from something. There was a large hole in the wall not too far from where we were. From it stemmed giant cracks trailing into the ground. I was so freaked out at that point; I didnt know what to think.

Until I saw a ghost. It flew backwards out of the hole and shot something out of its hand. Some kind of green light that was directed towards the hole in the wall. The ghost looked male, young, and wore a black and silver jumpsuit. His hair was white and his eyes -seen from where I was standing- were such a bright, luminescent green.

I know what I had been told about the city, but I was still astonished. Stupified, bewildered, and terrified. How could this have been happening? How could this have been real?

Out of the hole came another ghost. It looked like he was made out of metal; robotic. His combat boots, gloves, and utility belts were made of the same material. Green hair flamed down his back and his 'skin' looked like tin fashioned with nuts and bolts. He was the modern-day tin man, but evil and without a heart. His large-mouthed, angry-eyed grin made that evident. As well as the necklace he wore with what looked like an actual skull attached to it.

I looked at the other ghost. Upon further inspection, I noticed a logo on his chest. It read DP. I wondered what that could have stood for. And where was this Inviso-Bill? When would he step in?

The evil looking ghost shot at the other one with his glove. It was the same noise that started the spectacle. Deafeningly loud. The white-haired ghost dodged the blow just in time.

"I'm flattered, Skulker, but don't you think you should give up already? You're becoming desperate." He talked. He actually talked. When I thought of ghosts, I thought of them as eerily silent. This one sounded just like a human being.

The one he called Skulker roared out in rage and shot at him again. He didn't miss. I gasped as the white-haired ghost fell to the ground, wounded. I didn't know ghosts could get hurt. And that was the most violence I had seen in real life up to that point.

"Silly boy, your witty banter does not distract me. I will end you." Skulker's voice was deep and frightening. It seemed to permeate through my bones and I immediately got the chills. He floated towards the injured ghost and aimed.

But he wasn't ready to give up yet. He shot up in the air and yelled. Really, really loudly. It was greater than Skulker's blasts. We all had to plug our ears. When the white-haired one yelled, it did something to him. He flew backwards into the hole and crashed into the ground.

"I won't let you terrorize these people!" the young ghost shouted. So, HE must have been Inviso-Bill. I knew he didn't seem evil. He then pulled out a thermous, which threw me for a loop. Was he really in the mood for some soup right now? But he twisted off the cap and aimed it at Skulker, who got sucked into the thermous. ...What?

Everything I had just seen in the last ten minutes defied everything I had ever known. Ghosts, weird light weapons shooting out of hands, and some kind of thermous vortex thing. I felt like I was watching a movie instead of living it. Maybe I was dreaming. I pinched myself, wondering what good that was going to do, anyway. Everything felt real, yet...I could hardly believe it.

I looked around me and realized that most of the people had fled. It was just my class and a few other people down the other end of the hall. I looked towards the disaster and saw that Inviso-Bill was still there. Blood was dripping from a gash in his ribs. His uniform was ripped and I could see..skin. It looked like human skin. Very pale, but real nonetheless. I looked at his face and realized he was looking at me. I couldn't even think. His eyes were so hypnotizing. Then he broke his stare and actually flew out through the ceiling.

I shook my head, turned back to the class room, and grabbed my things. I had to get out of there and clear my head. As I was on my way, I called Tucker to make sure he was okay.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Tuck, hey. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Shocked and...I don't even know. But I'm okay. Where's Danny? Is he okay?"

"I'm with him right now. He's fine, too, don't worry."

"Where are you guys? I'm kind of freaking out and I could use some company." I didn't want to be alone. And talking to someone who has experienced this before was a good way to clear up my head.

"We're at my hou-" Tucker was interrupted by Danny and hissed something at him. "We're at my house right now."

"I'm coming over." I hung up the phone and headed quickly to his house.

I knocked on the door. Tucker's house was a yellow two-story building with a two-car garage. There was a row of planted violets along the walkway to his doorstep.

The door opened and Tucker let me in.

"We're in my bedroom upstairs," he said. He seemed so calm about all of it. Worry and fear were absent from his expression, from the way he moved. His steps were quick and light up the stairs.

We got to Tucker's bedroom and Danny was sitting on his bed with his hands folded in his lap. Despite the horror that had happened at the school, my heart still sped up with delight at the sight of him. Danny stood up and looked at me with evident concern in his eyes.

"Are you really okay?" I noticed that he was wearing a different shirt than the one he wore at school.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm just...I'm in disbelief." Tucker shut the door and motioned for me to sit down in his computer chair.

"We went through the same thing, trust me," Tucker said. He and Danny sat back down on the bed. His comforter was dark red and looked incredibly puffy. I noticed his sheats peaking out from under. They were white with cartoon cell phones, ipods, and computers printed on them. I mentally chuckled.

Leaning back into the chair, I sighed. "Did you guys see any of it?"

"No, our classes weren't close by. We heard the people screaming, even the noises from the battle, and we just left."

I nodded slowly in acknowledgment. "Who's Skulker?"

"He's one of the bad guys. We don't know much about him except that he hunts rare and unique things," Danny answered.

"And the one he was fighting, with the white hair and green eyes, he is Inviso-Bill?" They both nodded. "So, that means he must be rare or unique, right?" Danny and Tucker glanced at each other. "Do you know why?"

"We think...maybe it's because he is a good ghost who doesn't want to harm any of us and protects us. Every other ghost that has come to town has been evil," Tucker said.

I nodded again. "That makes sense." Then I remembered the logo on Inviso-Bill's uniform. "Why does it say DP on his jumpsuit?"

"It's probably an acronym for his real name. We've never heard any other ghost call him Inviso-Bill. The town just started naming him that, which I don't think he really likes. He never addresses himself as Inviso-Bill." Danny said the name with distaste.

"I take it YOU don't like the name, either," I said playfully.

He shrugged. "You've got to admit, it's kind of hoaky."

We spent a couple of hours just talking. About the ghosts and other random things. It was nearing 4:30pm. I had to get home early to make dinner. I was surprised I even remembered. With what happened, I had forgotten about my dad and what he did. And I was glad for it because it almost seemed as if it happened a week ago. My sense of time was warped because of the surrealness of the actual existence of ghosts.

I left in a hurry.


	5. Chapter 5

The school was back to normal, aside from the gaping hole in the wall. There was caution tape around the area, and it was in the process of being rebuilt. But the students and teachers went on as if nothing had happened. I was surprised by their resiliency. This must have happened more times than they could count, which was not the best revelation in the world to me.

During first period, I thought about the previous night at home. I had dinner ready and on the table promptly at six. My dad came home and acted as if nothing happened out of the ordinary. He never apologized, never asked _me_ for an apology, and continued to speak to me as if I was the chip on his shoulder. I was kind of okay with it. I didn't want to talk about it anymore than he did. If he wanted to forget about it, fine. So would I. He probably felt bad, anyway, and was too prideful to admit it. And I was too prideful to admit I was emotionally bruised.

Tucker, Danny, and I sat at our usual table at lunch, right by two giant trash cans. They were pretend fighting over the last chocolate milk that Danny had grabbed.

"Tucker, who cares about some stupid chocolate milk? We have a calculus test tomorrow. Shouldn't you be studying? You haven't exactly been paying attention in class." I had my notes and textbook sprawled out across two-thirds of the table.

"Thanks, _mom_, but I've got it under control." Danny snatched the milk out of Tucker's hand and laughed victoriously.

"That's what you said before the last test! In case you forgot, you almost failed."

"Sam, you're distracting me from goofing off. Now, do your homework while I beat Danny up for stealing my delicious beverage." I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up in defeat. Boys. Tucker grabbed for the milk, causing Danny to stretch and lean far back off the edge of his seat. Then he yelped and grabbed at his side.

My head snapped up. "What happened?"

"Nothing, I think I just pulled something." He was staring at his ribs, his hand still covering them. I was about to question him when Paulina walked up to our table.

"Hey, Danny," she cooed. His name spun around her mouth like cotton candy on a stick.

He looked up at her. "Oh, hey, Paulina." He rubbed the back of his neck, uncovering his ribs.

"Would you like to come over to my house tonight? I've got a huge paper due in Lancer's class and I could use your big brain." I sat there staring at this girl. She wore white skinny jeans, a rose colored lacy blouse, wedges, and a braid in her hair posing as a headband. She was flawless, yet she needed everybody's attention and approval. Why she felt like she had to insult and manipulate everybody in the process, I had no clue. Everybody is insecure, but acting the way she did would never get people to honestly like her.

"Uh, sorry, but I've already got plans with these guys." That was news to me. And apparently to Tucker, as well. He looked at Danny with confusion. "Maybe some other time?"

Paulina leaned into the table and unleashed a gaze no man could ever hope to resist. "My parents will be gone." That said it all. And I could have puked.

"Sorry, like I said: I already have plans. Maybe Dash can help you. He's not as dumb as everybody thinks." Danny smiled calmly at her. Apparently there_ was _a man who could resist that look. I mentally applauded him.

Paulina's gaze slowly turned into a confused frown. Then to an angry one. "Whatever. Freaks." She turned to leave, but looked back at Danny and Tucker. "Don't forget to throw out your trash." Then she glanced at me and walked away.

Danny stood up and was about to say something, but I rested my hand on his arm to stop him. "It doesn't matter," I said.

"What? Of course it matters. She just called you trash!" He was angry and glaring. Of the couple of months I've known Danny, this was a side of him new to me. And I liked it. He was feeling protective of me.

"Yeah, that's not okay, Sam," Tucker said. He looked concerned for my feelings.

"No, I know that. And I know I'm not trash, by the way. But I mean it doesn't matter what any of us say to her. She won't hear it."

Danny sat back down and sighed. "I guess you're right. But still, we're just going to let her get away with saying stuff like that to us?"

"She already has been getting away with it. Let's just forget about it, okay? Now, what's this about us having plans?"

"Yeah, dude. I didn't think you were going to make it. _Her parent's aren't home_," Tucker emphasized. "You know what that means."

"Yeah, I do. Paulina is a very beautiful girl." Gut-wrenching. "But I've realized that she's also very selfish, mean, spiteful, and manipulative. I'm not interested in her anymore." Relieving.

Tucker was saying something when Danny's shirt caught my eye. There was blood on it. Right where he was holding his side earlier. I almost said something, but then I remembered both Danny and Tucker's weird attitudes lately. It seemed as if they were hiding something, and Tucker was good at coming up with excuses on the spot.

"Danny, can I talk to you for a sec? Sorry, Tuck. Didn't mean to interrupt you, but this is kind of important and I need to talk to him alone."

"Sure," Danny said suspiciously. We got up and went outside to the length of the building where no one could see or hear us.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

I tugged at his shirt. "Why are you bleeding?"

Danny looked down and his eyes widened. "Uhh-"

"Don't try to come up with any lame excuses this time." I looked at him in the eyes. "Danny, why are you bleeding? What's going on? You and Tucker have been acting really strangely and I'm tired of being out of the loop. I'm tired of worrying. Are you sick? Dying? Are you-" My arms were flailing about. When I got panicky, I tended to over-gesture.

Danny softly grabbed my arms and put them at my sides. He looked into my eyes and calmly spoke. "Sam, Sam. Calm down, I'm not sick or dying. I just got injured, that's all."

"How?" He still had my arms pinned and I was very aware of the closeness of his face. I noticed a scar at the end of his eyebrow, and another just barely visible under the left side of his lower lip.

Danny released my arms and stood back. He sighed. "Tucker and I were messing around in my parents' lab. We've been tinkering with some stuff we probably shouldn't be touching and we didn't want to tell you because we knew you'd try to stop us."

I looked at him and instantly knew he wasn't telling me the whole truth. "I don't buy it. Tell me what's really going on. We've been friends for only a couple of months, but I feel like I've known you both for years. And I think I've been a pretty good friend so far. Don't you guys trust me enough to handle one secret?" I truly was worried about how they thought of me as a friend. What if they _didn't_ trust me enough?

His shoulders slumped. Danny looked at me with consideration and apology. Then he became frustrated and rubbed his face. "This isn't something I can just tell someone. I want to, Sam. But I don't know if you'd still want to be my friend afterwards. I don't want you to run away or be afraid or disgusted."

"What could it possibly be that would make me do any of that? I can't guarantee fearlessness, because that comes with all terrains of life. But I would never run away from you or be disgusted by you." I probed into his eyes, hoping my sincerity was seen by him.

Danny looked away and, after a pause, said," I'll tell you. But only when the time is right."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. Whenever you're ready. As long as you know you can confide in me." He looked at me again and nodded. "Are you really okay? Should you see a doctor?"

"Nah, I'll be fine. I just had some stitches and they split open. Tucker can fix it later today."

"What about your shirt? People might see."

"I have a clean one in my locker. Come on, we should get back before lunch is over."

We got back to the table to find Tucker drinking the chocolate milk and sifting through my notes. I laughed outloud. He almost looked childish, but not in a bad way. Just innocent.

Tucker looked up. "What was that all about?"

"I'll tell you later," Danny said as he sat down. Tucker raised an eyebrow and looked at me. I smiled knowingly. Well, almost knowingly.


	6. Chapter 6

Two weeks went by and Danny still hadn't told me his secret. I respectfully kept my mouth closed on the subject, not wanting to pressure him to tell me. It had to be on his time when he felt it was right.

He appeared to be a bit apprehensive when he wasn't acting his normal self. We would all be talking as usual and once there was a break in the conversation, he would become quiet. I saw his wheels turning, but I wasn't sure what he was thinking. Maybe he was guaging the moment, trying to imagine talking about his secret. Maybe he was reconsidering telling me. I had come up with all sorts of maybes, but it didn't matter. I believed him when he said he'd tell me. And I had the patience to wait.

It was late; past ten o'clock at night. The dark sky was flecked with stars and smeared with stratus clouds. The wind was blowing slightly, swaying the leaves in the trees. Tucker and I sneeked out of our homes to plan a surprise for Danny's birthday. It was the only time we had to be alone without being questioned.

I walked down the street and met him at the park. We sat down at the fountain (which was turned off). Sandstone tiles were creatively placed underneath and all around the fountain ground. The base of the fountain was about twenty feet long and wide, and two feet deep. Three tiers ascended in the center with the head on top. Four benches circled the fountain. And when the water was actually turned on, it spouted from the top and blanketed down into the base. It was really a beautiful sight and the highlight of the city.

"So, what do we do?" I spoke. "I've never thrown anyone a surprise party before."

"It's easy. We just have to distract him long enough to get everyone together without him noticing. Now, since his birthday is next Wednesday, I'm thinking we have the party this weekend." I thought of throwing Danny a surprise birthday party. It was a fun idea and I wanted to show him how appreciated he was. And to further his trust in me.

"Okay. Who should we invite? It's not like we have any other friends."

"My parents will come, and obviously Danny's. What about yours? Can they come?" My stomach dropped so far down that it hit the ground. I still hadn't told them about my mom. I wasn't ready to, yet. But I thought I would do it soon. It was only fair since I was about to know something very personal about Danny.

"They can't; they'll be unavailable that week." My mom would definitely be unavailable considering that she now lives with the worms. Or angels? And my dad...I was not going to invite him. I could hardly be around him.

"Oh, well. Maybe we can meet them some other time."

I gave a small smile and nod. "We should have the party at his house. You can take him to see a movie or something while the rest of us get everything ready."

"Sounds good. Danny and I have been wanting to do that anyway. I can't remember the last time we actually stepped inside a movie theater."

We continued to make plans. Tucker would notify his and Danny's parents. He also gave me their numbers to contact them the day of.

I was excited to be a part of this. It felt good planning something special for someone without them having a clue. And it also felt good because that someone was Danny. My crush on him was becomming more than just a crush. More than just flutters in my stomach as he entered the room, more than just losing my train of thought in his weirdly blue eyes. But I was careful not to allow myself to delve into the fantasies of romance. There was no way he could return even an ounce of my feelings.

I shook my head as I walked back home. I had more important things to think of.

I reached my house and tiptoed up the steps and onto the porch. Quietly unlocking and opening the door, I stepped inside.

Only to meet the glare of my father. Startled, I let out a small squeak. His arms were crossed as he stood in front of me.

"Where were you?"

"The park," I said tentatively. Dread was creaping in.

"Why?"

"I couldn't sleep and I wanted some fresh air." There was no way I could tell him the truth. Even though it was a purely platonic meet, he wouldn't believe that.

My dad stood there with his arms still crossed and his jaw set. "You really expect me to believe that?" There was something odd in his voice. Usually he would talk to me in a calm, dry tone. Even when he was mad. But this was something else, something unpredictable. "You must think I'm pretty stupid." Something emotional.

That was it. Raw emotion hidden under his stoic facade.

"You know I have insomnia."

"So does every other teenager. Who were you with, Samantha?" he asked firmly.

"Nobody!" I moved to stalk off to my room and avoid the rest of the conversation, but he grabbed my wrist and yanked me back. I almost stumbled.

"Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you. Tell me the truth!" he shouted.

"I am! Now, let go! You're hurting me!" His grip had gotten tighter as our voices got louder. He glared at me a little longer, anger and disbelief evident. Then he finally let go. I ran upstairs to my room and slammed the door. I sat on my bed, rubbing my wrist. I couldn't help but start to cry. I was confused about what was happening and it scared me.

I could barely focus at school the next day. I wore a black sweatshirt to cover up the bruises on my wrist. They weren't too bad, but I didn't want to risk anyone seeing.

"Danny, what do you want for your birthday?" I asked. It was Thursday and I had no idea what to get him. The weekend was coming up soon. He adverted his eyes and thought about it while he chewed on a bite of his hotdog.

A third bite went by and he was still thinking. I tapped my fingertips on the table.

Finally, he spoke. "I don't know." I groaned. "Sorry! I really don't know. I can't think of anything I need."

"Okay, but isn't there something you _want_? Anything at all?"

He shrugged. "I'll think about it and get back to you after school."

"Okay. You better."

"Or what?" he challenged.

"Or I'll...get you something I know you'll hate."

"Like tofu?" Tucker chimed. I glared at him.

"I couldn't hate anything you give me, Sam." I whipped my head back in Danny's direction. He held my stare for a second, then delved into another hotdog.

I let out a sigh. "Well, I'm going to the bathroom."

"Thanks for sharing!" Tucker called as I walked away.

After doing my business and washing my hands, I stood at the mirror. I moved my sleeve to look at the bruises. They were slightly purple and a little bit tender.

The bathroom door opened and I shoved my sleeve down.

"Well, well. If it isn't the goth freak." Paulina. She was with two other friends.

I rolled my eyes. "Yep. That's me. Now if you'll excuse me..." I started to walk away but she lightly grabbed my arm preventing me from passing. I stood back and looked her in the eyes. "What could you possibly say to me that I haven't heard already?"

Her eyes were cold as the corner of her mouth lifted up. "You're pathetic." I raised an eyebrow. "I've seen the way you look at Danny. You practically drool when he talks to you. It's sad, really. Because we all know I'm the one he's been after since freshman year."

I let out a laugh. "Okay, Paulina. Whatever."

"Everybody knows I'm selfish," she continued. "Even he knows it. But what he can't help is how attracted to me he is. My personality might turn him off, but my body sure as hell can turn him on." She leaned in to my ear. "And I know all the right moves to set him on fire." My eyes narrowed as she straightened up. "You've got nothing on me," she said. Then they left. I expected myself to be sad with self-pity. But I was angry. Furious. And I hated it, so I took some deep breaths. ...Didn't work. I swung open the bathroom door and stomped over to the table. I knew she'd be watching me to see my reaction, but I didn't care. I'd let her have her fun.

Tucker and Danny immediately saw the expression on my face.

"Whoa. Somebody unleashed a demon," Tucker said. I stared at him and he backed up his chair. I didn't want to look at Danny, but I couldn't help it. I could feel his eyes on me. They were boaring into mine with confusion and concern.

"What happened?" he asked. My shoulders slumped as I let out a huge breath.

"I don't get it. How is it that one simple girl can leave another person dangling from every word she says? How does she find my buttons? I thought I hid them well." I flicked a piece of lettuce off the table in frustration.

"Paulina's not a simple girl," a voice said. We looked behind me and saw Valerie standing there with a lunch tray in her hands. Her expression was morose as she looked at each of our faces. Then she walked away, dumped her barely touched food in the trash can, and left the cafeteria.

The three of us looked at each other.

"She needs us," Tucker said matter-of-factly.

"I don't know..." I said skeptically. I didn't really trust her that much. She used to be one of them. I didn't know her when she was, but if she was their friend, then she would have been just like them. They don't accept genuinely nice people into their group. Except Kwan, he was more polite and forgiving than most people realized. But his parents were loaded and he flaunted it.

"I think he's right, Sam," Danny said. "Did you see her face? She looks like the loneliest person I've ever seen."

I slowly nodded my head in agreement. Something my mother always taught me was to extend my hand to the lost and broken. I wanted to honor that.

"She'll be tough to get through to," I warned.

"It'll be worth the try, though," Tucker said. "Hey, what did Paulina say to you, anyway?"

I sighed. "She said I was pathetic."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Why?" I shrugged, not knowing what to say. I couldn't tell them what she really said.

"She's crazy," Tucker said. "She will say anything to get what she wants. Don't let her get to you, Sam."

"Yeah," Danny chimed. "I _know_ you're stronger than that." My heart puttered. He thought I was strong. I couldn't stop the small smile forming on my lips.

"You guys are right. I'm being silly. Why should I care what she thinks or says?"

"Exactly," Tucker said, drawing out the 'e'.

I decided I would say something to Valerie on Monday. I'd have the weekend to figure out what exactly I was going to say. I knew I had to pick my words carefully and honestly. I felt like I was going to approach a bird. If I made any sudden movements, it would fly away.

After school let out, Danny, Tucker, and I went to the Nasty Burger.

"So, did you figure out what you want for your birthday?" I asked Danny. We sat down with our food at a table by the window. It was a fairly sunny day.

"Yes," he said. "I want you to make me something."

"Make you something?" I did not expect that at all.

"Yeah. There's not really anything I want other than the stuff I already told my family and Tucker about."

"Okay," I said slowly. "What do you want me to make you?"

"Surprise me." Great. I had one day left until his party.

As soon as those words left his mouth, something crashed through the window a table down from us. We shielded ourselves on instinct. Looking over, we saw three giant green vultures with long legs and thick beaks. They squawked loudly as people were screaming and running to escape the restaurant. Ghosts again.

"Sam! Come on!" Tucker shouted. I looked back and he was motioning for me to follow him to the bathrooms. Danny was missing.

"Where's Danny?" I yelled. It was hard to hear with all the commotion.

"He ran off to help some kid! Come on, let's go!"

I started to run, but then I felt something dig into my shoulders and pick me up off the ground. I screamed in horror, wondering what the heck was happening. Then I realized it was one of the birds. It squawked and started to fly away. I tried to fiercely wiggle myself free of its grip, but it held fast.

A beam hit the bird causing it to release its grip and cry out in pain. I dropped to the ground. My head slammed on the back of a chair and I momentarily saw Inviso-Bill or (whatever his name was) flying towards me. Then blackness.


	7. Chapter 7

**Note: Thank you for those who left reviews. Very sweet! And if anyone has any critiques, I'd be more than happy to listen. I will always try to improve my writing. I'm also trying to make the chapters longer. I know I love long chapters and I have a feeling you guys do, too. Sorry for the wait! I get writer's block. Often.**

I slowly awoke, disoriented. I heard a soft clicking noise a few feet to my right. Beneath me I felt soft sheets over a plump mattress, and a thick comforter covering my body. I was on a bed, that much I knew. But despite being under covers, I was cold. And the coldness seemed to be emenating from a source weighted by my feet at the edge of the bed. _Where was I?_

I moved my feet, wanting the cold thing to go away. It didn't leave, but shifted.

"She's awake," someone said softly. Danny. I knew his voice anywhere. My eyes shot open.

But it wasn't Danny I saw. It was Inviso-Bill. I immediately sat up. My eyes widened with shock as everything came back to memory. But before I had time to process, I heard another voice to my right.

"How do you feel?" My head snapped in its direction. Tucker was sitting at a computer desk.

"What's going on? Where are we?" I was so confused. I looked back at Inviso-Bill, not really believing he was right in front of me. A ghost... Right at my feet. He looked at me with guarded and cautious eyes. Like he was waiting for me to explode into a million pieces.

"We're at my house. Do you hurt anywhere?" It was Danny's voice coming out of the ghost. I became afraid at that moment.

"Your _house_?" Since when did ghosts own houses? "Where's Danny? What did you do to him, why do you sound like him?" I backed away as much as I could until my back hit the headboard.

"Sam, calm down," Tucker said. I looked at him with wide eyes. "Danny's perfectly fine." He took a deep breath and put his hands in his lap. "It's time we tell you the truth." I looked back and forth between the two.

Tucker gave a nod to Inviso-Bill, who then looked at me with worry plastered on his face.

"Please don't freak out," he whispered. A flash of light appeared where he was sitting, momentarily blinding me and filling the entire room. It went away as soon as it appeared, and Danny was sitting in its place exactly where the ghost had been, with the same look of worry and discretion. Then I understood...sort of.

"You...you're...How?" was all I could get out. It made no sense. How could he be a ghost and a human? There was no way.

"I'll tell you...If you're ready to hear it."

I slowly nodded my head.

"Okay. But first we need to make sure you're okay. Seriously, how's your head? You hit it pretty hard when you fell."

"Yeah, you blacked out instantly," Tucker said.

"My head does hurt," I acknowledged softly. "But not that badly. Please, forget about that for a moment. I'm fine for now. Tell me how this makes any sense." I relaxed a little and put my arms around my knees. I still almost didn't believe what I had just seen, but I needed some sort of an explanation.

Danny told me everything. How his parents created a portal to the ghost zone in their basement, how it didn't work, how him and Tucker went to take a look. And somehow they got it to work with Danny inside the portal. That's when everything changed. He described the immeasurable pain he felt, as if his body were splitting apart molecule by molecule. He blacked out and awoke in the form of a ghost. With it came a lot of responsibility and he had a choice to make. To use his powers for good, for bad, or not at all. It took him a long time to understand and accept what had happened. And no one knew except Tucker.

"That was four years ago and I'm still learning," he finally said.

"_We_ are still learning," Tucker corrected. He smiled at Danny to remind him he wasn't alone.

I looked at Tucker, then Danny again. "Turn back," I said quickly.

"W-what?" he stammered. I continued to stare at him. He looked at Tucker, who shrugged. "Okay...going ghost," he muttered. The light flashed again and this time I shielded my eyes. In an instant he was Inviso-Bill again.

I examined every inch of him. His white hair was Danny's, his eyes were Danny's, his whole entirety was Danny. But...not. I couldn't believe I hadn't realized before. Or even noticed the similarities. I slowly shook my head. "This can't be real."

Danny looked at his hands in his lap. "It is real...And I hope you're not afraid of me. I hope you still want to be my friend."

My heart sunk at his words. I leaned slowly forward. He looked up at me as I cautiously touched his face. He was tangible. He was cold and left my fingertips chilled. I stared into his eyes. They were so green; a color I've never seen before.

"I don't care if you have three heads. I'm not afraid of you and I will always be your friend." As I said it, I realized I really wasn't afraid. He was still Danny. The loyal, thoughtful, goofy teenager who I knew now to also be brave, strong, and innately _good_.

Danny looked at Tucker, then back at me. A smile crept up on his face, which turned into a grin. He grabbed me into a hug and laughed. "You have no idea how glad I am."

As I was enveloped in his embrace, an odd coldness spread throughout my body. It began with the same chill I felt when I touched his face. It permeated my body, spread to the marrow in my bones. I gasped and pulled away. It was the strangest thing I've ever felt, but it wasn't unpleasant. It wasn't the kind of coldness you feel in the air. It was something different, something supernatural.

"Feels weird, right?" Tucker asked with a knowing smile. I nodded.

After a minute of silence, Danny spoke. "So...do you want to ask me anything?"

I thought for a moment. "Honestly, I'm still trying to comprehend this even being possible. My brain is too full to come up with any questions. Maybe I'll have some tomorrow."

The three of us sat in silence for a while after Danny reverted back to his human form. I thought of all the times that Danny left in a rush leaving Tucker to cover his tracks. I thought of the couple of times I was a witness to ghost attacks when Danny wasn't there and Inviso-Bill was. I thought of the strange confidence he held despite being bullied at school. It all made perfect sense. I felt a bit daft not figuring it out sooner. But I supposed that there was no way I could have that quickly. What happened in that town was what happens in movies, not real life. I was too busy trying to comprehend it all rather than trying to figure out what they were hiding.

"How'd you get that bruise?" Tucker asked suddenly. I looked at him as he was looking at my wrist. Glancing where his eyes were, I feined confusion. But inside I was reeling. My heart thumped as I tried to come up with a lie.

"I must have hit my hand somehow when the ghost dropped me." Relief washed over me as he nodded his head in acceptance of my answer.

I looked at the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand, remembering my duties at home. Another wave of relief hit me as it was only 4:37.

"I gotta go." I stood up, but sat back down again as my vision darkened with lightheadedness. "Whoa. Okay, maybe not so quickly."

"I think you should see a doctor," Danny said gently.

"Yeah, I guess I should." I slowly stood up. I would call the family doctor after my talk with Valerie on Monday. "Well, I should leave now."

"We'll walk you home," Danny said as he stood up as well.

"Actually, I gotta get back to my house. I have a ton of homework to catch up on. You go ahead, Danny." He looked at me. "I'm glad you're okay. But make sure to see that doctor." He playfully shook his finger at me.

I chuckled. "I will. Promise." We all headed out the door, Tucker heading in the opposite direction.

Danny turned to me. "Shall we?" He held out his hand. I looked at it, then back at his face in confusion.

"I'm flying you home. It's faster than walking." My eyes widened with fear. "Don't worry!" he said. "It's perfectly safe. I promise I won't drop you. I've flown Tucker several times without once losing my grip."

I was still unsure, but his confidence was reasuring. "Alright," I said warily. Danny quickly looked around him to make sure there were no witnesses. The coast was clear. He turned ghost and picked me up bridal style. I let out a noise of surprise at his swiftness and strength.

"Ready?" he asked. I nodded, then he turned us invisible and flew up into the air. My stomach flopped as he did. I held on tighter as he flew towards my house.

Flying on a plane was one thing. But actually being held up into the air with no walls around me or a floor to step on was frightening. And exhilirating. I could tell Danny was flying slower than he normally would, not wanting to overwhelm me too much. I closed my eyes as I relaxed a little. The sun had stayed despite the chaos that happened at the Nasty Burger, and the wind was blowing softly. It soothed the headache that developed after I had woken up in Danny's room.

No longer focusing so much on being high up off the ground, my attention turned to being in the arms of the hybrid. I became increasingly aware of his touch. The same feelings from earlier arrived; the saturating coldness. And combined with flying through the air, it was enlivening.

"This is crazy," I said.

Danny laughed lightly. "Tell me about it." His eyes were focused ahead of him. I couldn't help but stare a little bit. Even as a ghost, he was so handsome. He had the jawline and chin of the younger Marlon Brando. His nose had a very slight bump on its bridge, and his lips were, though pale in his current state...very kissable. My eyes lingered on them for a few seconds before I turned my attention to the sky. I mentally groaned at my girlishness. I was becoming a sap. A pining, romantic sap. I tried to think about something else.

"Is it hard keeping this secret from your family?" I was careful not to look at him. I didn't know if I would be able to stop.

Danny let out a breath. "Yes. Unimaginably hard. My parents are...extremely loving and generous people. But not towards ghosts of any kind. And I think my sister would fare better than them with the whole thing, but she is so logical and exact about everything in her own way. I don't know if she'd be able to handle it."

"Do you think you'll tell them some day?"

After a moment, he said, "I don't know. Most of the time I think they'd be better off not knowing. For one, it's less dangerous for them if they don't know. For another, it's...I don't know if I could actually gather up the courage to tell them."

I couldn't imagine what it would be like to hold a secret such as his. My family wasn't exactly functional and image was a big thing for them. Even for my mom. Having a secret like that would be easier to keep from a family like mine. But if they were actually good, loving parents who hated what happened to be the other side of me...That fear of rejection would tear me apart more than it already did with my own issues. I was amazed at his strength.

"We're here," Danny said. He slowed his speed, drifted to my doorstep, and set me down. He made sure no one was around and turned back to his human self.

Both Tucker and Danny have been to my house before, just not inside of it. They marveled at how large and ornamental it was. And they were very surprised I didn't shove it in anyone's faces. I scowled at them thinking they knew me better than that. Which they did, but they loved to tease.

"Well, thanks for dropping me off," I said. I didn't know what else to say.

"Literally," he joked. I smiled and shook my head. Then his face altered into seriousness. He looked at me with uncertainty and solicitude. Sometimes I could see right through him.

"I'm not going to abandon you," I said candidly. His expression abruptly turned into a look of surprise. Then he looked towards the ground and rubbed his neck. "Besides, it's pretty amazing what you do for this town."

Danny looked back up at me and smiled. "Thanks, Sam." I knew what he was really thanking me for. I smiled back. Feeling bold, I pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. After the initial surprise wore off, he wrapped his arms around me and returned the hug just as fiercely. With my eyes closed, I lightly sighed in contentment. I was being a sap again, but I didn't care at that moment. It felt so perfect being in his arms; so comfortable. He smelled like fresh laundry and post-workout perspiration. It was oddly wonderful. He must have changed clothes right after the battle.

"Wait!" I pulled out of the hug suddenly but kept my hands on Danny's shoulders. "What is your ghost half's name? I know it's not Inviso-Bill."

He chuckled. "Danny Phantom."

I took my hands off his shoulders and rested them in the thinking position. I tapped my chin. "Danny Phantom," I repeated slowly. "I like it. Much better. But don't you think people will notice how close it sounds to your real name?"

"Nah. Nobody really knows my ghost's actual name except for Tucker, you, and the other ghosts. They're stuck on Inviso-Bill. And even if they did know, I'm so unpopular that it probably wouldn't register with anyone."

I nodded. "Well, I should get inside. I'll see you tomorrow at school." I wanted to give him another hug, but fought against the urge. No need to seem obvious about my affections, especially when they couldn't possibly be returned.

"Bye, Sam." I smiled and turned to open the front door and step inside. I turned back around and watched him fly off. I sighed, shook my head, and lightly banged it against the door. Sam Manson doesn't fall for people. She's an independant individual with a horrible not-so-distant past. And there I was, falling for somebody who was barely human.

Sighing again, I stepped inside and shut the door. Turning around, I abruptly became dizzy. I steadied myself, but it got worse as my ears started to ring. It became so loud, and I could barely see the swirling ground as I fell to it and blacked out.

DP-DP-DP-DP-DP

For the second time that day, I awoke in a fog. I heard a beeping noise to my left. I rubbed my eyes and felt something pulling at my right hand. I sat up slowly as my vision came together. I was in my bed. An IV was hooked up to my hand with the fluid bag hanging close by. A heart moniter was to my left. And what shocked me the most was my dad. He was sitting on a chair at the end of my bed, his head resting close to my feet.

"Dad?" My voice was groggy.

His head slowly raised. He looked tired. "Samantha," he said. All traces of harshness, contempt, and coldness were gone from his voice. Honestly, I was stunned. I had never seen him look so weary. Not even after my mother's death.

"What happened?" I said, sitting up straighter.

"I came home and found you passed out on the floor." He uncharacteristically sighed and ran his hands through his blonde hair. Usually it was neat with no strand out of place. Now it looked as if he had ran his hands through it a hundred times. "I called the doctor. He's downstairs right now. I'll retrieve him." With his weariness melting off, he sprang out of his chair and quickly stepped out of my room.

He returned a couple of minutes later with our family doctor. He was a heavy-set, older man with brown skin and very short dark, graying hair. He wore the classic white coat over a sweatervest and brown slacks. My dad returned to the chair at the end of my bed while the doctor came to my side.  
"You gave your father quite a scare, Samantha," Dr. Harris said. He took out a LED pen flashlight and instructed me to follow his finger as he shined the light in my eyes. "Have you been experiencing any dizziness lately?"

"Yes, right before I passed out." The eye exam was complete.

"Headaches?" I was getting nervous. I nodded my head.

"Did you hit your head recently?"

"Yeah. I fell off my bike and hit a rock." I felt bad for lying, but I couldn't tell them what really happened. Too many questions would be asked, and I couldn't in any way risk Danny's secret getting out. Or the fact that I was with him and Tucker.

The doctor nodded his head. He continued his exam, checking my reflexes and my ears. "Will you stand up for me?" I slowly got out of bed and stood. I felt a little woozy and grabbed onto the bedpost. "Walk to the door and then come back." I did as he instructed with normalcy, apart from feeling tired. I sat back down on my bed.

After Dr. Harris finished writing in the chart, he spoke. "You have a concussion. Fortunately, it's not too serious. Your vision, hearing, and reflexes are all normal. The only concern I have is your apparent dizziness that caused you to pass out. It's a good sign that you were able to walk to the door and back with no complications, but I would like you to remain in bed for the rest of the day. It's alright for you to go to school tomorrow, but take it easy and try not to stress yourself physically or mentally. If you do feel any dizziness or light-headedness while at shcool, I advise you to see the nurse."

I nodded my head and got into bed. Dr. Harris unhooked the IV and heart moniter and rolled them out of the room.

My dad stood up from the chair. His eyes still held worry, but his face formed the more familiar, guarded appearance.

He started to walk out of my room. But just before heading out the door, he said, "Be more careful." His tone was icy as usual, but I knew. I knew he still cared about me. And when people care about each other, that means they love each other. My dad, who I thought hated my guts and blamed me for my mother's death, still loved me. Who knew, maybe he _did _blame me. But at least he still loved me.

After a moment, my dad and Dr. Harris returned.

"Your father will be checking up on you every now and then to make sure you're alright. And make sure you stay hydrated and drink plenty of water." He put a hand on my shoulder as a comforting gesture. "Do you have any questions?"

"No. Thanks, Dr."

He smiled warmly. "You're welcome." Turning to my dad, he said, "Have a good night, Jeremy."

"Yes, thank you, Samuel." They shook hands and then the doctor left.

My dad and I looked at each other awkwardly. I hadn't seen him since the previous night.

"Well. Goodnight, Samantha." He turned and walked out of my room. I sighed and got under the covers. It was going to be a long night.


	8. Chapter 8

**Note: So, I just had an idea. After I finish this, maybe I'll write the story in Danny's point of view. What do you guys think? Let me know! And again, thank you so much for the supportive reviews. I'm happy you're enjoying the story.**

"You blacked out again?" Danny barked. A few students passing by our lockers glanced our way at his outburst. He sheepishly apologized.

"Relax, I saw a doctor. I had a concussion-"

"A concussion?!" Tucker exageratedly mimicked Danny's shrieking, flapping his arms in 'panic' for emphasis. I raised my eyebrow at him as even more students looked our way. "Sorry, couldn't help it. But in all seriousness, Sam, that's not good. Why are you at school today?"

"The doctor said it wasn't serious and that it would be okay. But he did give me a note if I need to go home. So, don't worry. I'll be fine."

"This isn't right. You should be in bed, neck deep in blankets, resting. With a few nurses at your every beck and call," Danny said. I inwardly smiled at his nurturing impulse.

"Are _you_ one of those nurses?" Tucker taunted. Danny's eyes widened and he punched Tucker in the shoulder. "Ow!"

My heart sped up as a blush slowly slithered to my cheeks. Thoughts reeled around in my head. Was I reading too much into that comment?

"Anyway, all I'm saying is...take it easy," Danny continued. There was no hint of a blush in his face. I _must _have read too much into it. Just a normal tease, no hidden messages. I felt my face cooling off before the blush reached my hairline.

"I will." I shut my locker and shook my head. When it comes to romance, no girl is an exception to girly-ness. I had become painfully aware of that right then.

For the rest of the school day, I felt no dizziness or lightheadedness at all. I was confident that my brain was back to normal.

And I kept remembering the look on my dad's face after I woke up from blacking out. His behavior confused me to no end. Momentarily, he displayed worry, concern, and an unwavering amount of relief. But then it did waver. His words that day were different from normal; fatherly and unmistakable. But his frigid demeanor returned with them. And by morning, he hadn't addressed or acknowledged me at all. It was confusing, frustrating, and scary. I was getting emotionally whiplashed.

During lunch, my winding thoughts about my dad were halted. I noticed Valerie sitting alone a few tables away from us. She was reading a book while picking at her food with a fork. I didn't see her take one bite.

I wasn't sure how I was going to approach her on Monday. And honestly, the thought made me anxious. I wasn't good at striking up conversations with people I didn't know. Especially people like her: unapproachable, guarded, and irritable. But I had to do it. I didn't know what it was like to be popular and then suddenly shunned from my friends. I had always been at the bottom of the social hierarchy. But I think that if I were in her situation, I'd want someone to reach out to me. I was willing to bet that her attitude was a defense mechanism.

Plus, she wasn't completely a ticking time bomb. She did have a kind of soft spot for Tucker, even though it was clear he did annoy her to no end. And she was the one who made the comment a couple days ago about Paulina being complicated. In a way, she had reached out to us. Whether she realized it or not.

I had gained some amount of confidence after those realizations hit me. Maybe it wouldn't be as difficult as I had been making it out to be in my head.

I glanced at the A-list table. Dash and Kwan fist-bumped after tripping a freshman, and Star was fixing her make-up, holding a small compact mirror. They were all very animated with what they were doing. It was too much, almost as if they were acting. I looked at Paulina who was glaring back at me. Her arms were crossed and she was leaning back in her seat.

I knew glaring right back was what she was expecting, so I smiled and waved. Her face jolted out of its glare with a look of surprise. Then she glared again, unleashing its full effect. I chuckled as her stare didn't let up. What was it about me that got to her so badly? Was it really because she was worried I would get in the way between her and 'Inviso-Bill?' I couldn't quite comprehend any amount of jealousy turning to active hatred. But humans are subjected to the whispers of evil, and it's quite obvious through history that most of us give in. I couldn't completely place the blame on her, but we do have free will, after all.

A hand shot out in front of my face whisking away my train of thought. "Hello, earth to Sam?" I looked at Tucker and gently swatted his hand away. "You were pretty zoned out, there. Called your name like three times."

"Yeah, you feeling okay?" Danny asked.

"Sorry, yeah, I'm good. I was thinking about Valerie."

Tucker's eyes glossed over as a lop-sided smile crossed his face. "Valerie," he said in a dreamy state as he gazed at her. Danny and I looked at each other and snickered.

After school, I headed straight home to work on Danny's birthday present. I sat at the dark cherry oak desk in my bedroom with pen and paper. Absent-mindedly biting the end of the pen, I thought for several minutes about what I would make Danny for his birthday. It had to be thoughtful, but not too sentimental. I wrote down categories such as baked goods, art, crafts, music, and one specific idea of doing his math homework for an entire month. Maybe I could make him a book of favor coupons...?

I threw that thought out. It had to be something a little more meaningful. Something he would really like; something unique. Something that no one else could give him.

Then that something started brewing. I remembered his ardent zeal about outer space. And I had some canvases in storage that I hadn't touched since my mother's death. Perhaps I could give him a chance to look at the great beyond every day. I was no Rembrandt, but I liked what I had created in the past.

It was the perfect idea for this situation. Caring and thoughtful (as to be expected by a girl because we are a sensitive breed), but not romantic.

I ran downstairs to the garage and grabbed a very large canvas; the biggest one I had. I wanted it to fill his bedroom wall as much as possible. Running back upstairs, I hopped on the computer and googled images of the universe. Galaxies, nebulas, planets, stars, there were so many choices on what to paint.

Soon, my eyes stuck to a particular image. It didn't have the normal dark blues and purples you see in most pictures. This one had reds, oranges, and yellows. There were two small planets, one at the top left and one near the bottom right. A few more smaller planets were set around, all of them upon swirling goldenrod, orange, and deep magenta clouded matter. A bright white-gold light was emanating from near the center, and similar-colored stars scattered in all directions. It was incredibly beautiful and I wasn't sure if I could pull it off. But I had to try.

Three hours later, Danny's gift was complete. It didn't look exactly the same as the image on the computer, but it was acceptable. I felt satisfied enough with it to be confident he'd like it. Or at least appreciate the gesture. I set the painting against the wall to let it dry.

Saturday morning came quickly. I was especially nervous because out of the months that I'd known Danny, it was the first time I was going to meet his parents. Most of our hang outs were either at the Nasty Burger, Tucker's house, or the park. I had only been to Danny's house once, and that was when I blacked out from the ghost attack.

Tucker sent me a text around noon telling me he and Danny were heading to the movie theater. I had one thing to do before heading over to his house. I had to tell my dad where I was going. I was going to be honest this time, and he was going to accept it. I shouldn't have to ask for his permission to hang out with my friends. I was eighteen years old, for crying out loud. And maybe, after finding me blacked out, he'd be...normal. Somewhat.

I bounded down the stairs with Danny's gift and went to his study where he always was on Saturdays. I set the painting down. The study was a very large room with bookcases as the walls. A giant ornate desk was across the room facing the double doors. A fireplace was to the right surrounded by two tall cushioned chairs and a coffee table.

He looked up from his laptop as I stood in the open doorway.

"Dad, I have something I'd like to say." I didn't wait for him to speak. "Myself and others are throwing our friend Danny a surprise birthday party today. I am going to go spend some time with my _friends_, and you're not going to stop me. I'm legally an adult, and there is no law against females having friends who happen to be male. No, they do not want to have sex with me. They are not animals. They are regular people with thoughts and feelings. They care about me and my well-being. They have accepted me and have made me feel like I belong, which is not something I can say about you." I had to throw that last bit in there. I was on a roll. "So, I will be leaving now. I'll be back before midnight." I left before he could say anything. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out as I grabbed the painting and headed over to Danny's house.

I stood in front of a two-story brick house on the corner of the street. Three-story if you counted the oddly shaped emergency OP center. Danny hadn't told me much about it other than it was where ghost operations were carried out by his parents. What that entailed, I had no idea.

I exhaled sharply and rang the door bell. A moment later, a short woman with even shorter auburn hair dressed in a teal jumpsuit opened the door.

"Hello! You must be Sam. Please, come in." She led me into the house with an arm around my shoulder. "I'm so excited to finally meet you," she said warmly. "My name is Maddie." All I could mutter out was a small 'nice to meet you' before she led me into the kitchen. It was bright and cheerful. Yellow and white wallpaper with matching placemats and hand towels. A large window let in the sunlight making the kitchen sparkle.

My attention turned to a very large man walking in. He was over six feet tall, hefty, and wore a carrot orange jumpsuit. His black hair was graying at the sides.

"And this hunk of a man is my husband, Jack." I quietly laughed at her description. "Jack, this is Danny's new friend, Sam."

"Hiya, Sam! Nice to meet you." With a silly grin, he stuck out his hand. I shook it. His grip was firm and his shake was quick.

I gathered my senses after the initial shock of their openness wore off. "It's nice to meet you, too. Both of you. Your home is really lovely."

"Thank you, dear!" Maddie said. "After hearing Danny talk about you so much, we couldn't wait to meet you and were thrilled when Tucker told us about your idea of a surprise party."

"He talked about me?" It spilled out of my mouth. The curiosity bested me.

"For weeks! I tell ya, I have never seen a kid so taken." A small blush and the faintest smile appeared on my face.

"Now, Jack. Don't blab. You know what happens when you do." He sat down at the table and slumped his shoulders, clearly pouting. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen an adult do. Especially one his size. My smile grew wider. Maddie turned back to me. "I wish you could meet Danny's sister, Jazz, but she's away at college." She looked at the large object I still held in my hands. "What's this?"

"Oh, it's Danny's present."

"What is it?" The cover was still on it. Jack jumped out of his seat, intrigued.

"A painting." I fidgeted.

"May we see it?" he asked. I stuttered a small 'yes.' I hadn't expected anyone else to want to see it, and I was kind of nervous. What if they thought it wasn't good?

I took away the covering and placed it on the table. They both looked it over. Jack picked it up, turned it a couple times, inspected it closely, then put it back on the table.

"Well, would you look at that," he finally said. Maddie smiled at me. "Where'd you buy it?" We both turned our heads to look at him. He thought I bought it?

"I-I didn't buy it. I painted it."

He squinted his eyes and looked at me with suspicion. "You're trying to trick me, aren't you?" He looked at Maddie and grinned. "I like her!" I looked from Jack to Maddie and back again.

"Jack, honey? I think she was serious." I could tell Maddie already knew.

He looked at me. "You really painted this?" I laughed nervously and nodded. He lightly slapped my back with approval and laughed. "Kids these days, full of talent."

I was very appreciative of the compliments they gave me. It's hard to see the fullness of your own abilities when you're your worst critic.

I went upstairs (after asking) to hang the painting up on Danny's wall. For one, I didn't want anymore attention drawn to the gift. For another, I wanted it to be sort of a surprise.

I entered his room. It was average-sized but a little on the small side. The walls were dark blue with white baseboards. His twin-sized bed was across from the door parallel to the wall it was against. The bedspread was a solid, lighter shade of blue with white sheets. At the other end of his room to the right was a desk and computer. It was disorganized. There was an open book with papers strewn about, and a few dishes. His closet was on the same side as the door, near his desk. A large window by his bed with open black drapes brightened up the room so much that it wasn't necessary to turn on the light.

Danny's room was fairly clean and smelled...good. I discovered why it didn't stink like a boy's room and saw an air freshener plugged into the wall. It had to be his mom's doing. No boy I'd ever met had worried about how they smelled.

I brought the painting over to the wall across from the foot of Danny's bed, to the left of his computer desk. I thought it would be a good place since the window was right by it and he could look at it while lying down. I set it down and took the hammer and nail his parents gave me. After assaulting the thing in place, I hung the painting up and stepped back to make sure it was straight.

The reds and oranges contrasted well with the blue in his room. I smiled and felt oddly giddy. I was now more excited than nervous to show him. I had to refrain myself from letting out a girlish squeal. Then, while shaking my head, I sighed and walked out of his room. This wasn't normal behavior for a goth. I had to tone it down.

Tucker's parents had arrived as I came down the stairs. His mother, of average height, had shoulder-length wavy brown hair. She was 'well-endowed.' His father, thought not as great in stature as Jack, stood a proud six feet. His skin was very light brown and his eyes the same teal as Tucker's. A bushy mustache rested on top of his lip.

They were both very pleasent people. Nice, polite, and warm. Not as unawaringly animated and comical as Danny's parents, but I liked them just the same.

A part of me was worried that I would get weird looks. I didn't present myself as the average teenager. But my worries were shooed away by all of their kindness. I would have been surprised if Amity Park wasn't so strange. It seemed as if anything could happen.

We spent the next hour and a half setting up decorations, making food, and chatting. Tucker and Danny's parents talked a lot about when they were younger and the trouble they got into. It was sweet, and I birthed a quiet pang of jealousy. But I pushed it away. Danny and Tucker were blessed to have such loving and open parents. Instead of bathing in the kiddy-pool that was my envy, I chose to be happy for them. And I was.

My phone buzzed. It was Tucker informing me that they'd be there in ten minutes. The rest of us closed all the drapes and hid in scattered spots around the living room near the front door. I hid in the dining room that was just beyond the living room.

I heard the key turn in the door. My heart sped up at the sound of him talking. The door opened. We all jumped out of our hiding places.

"Surprise!" we shouted in unison.

"Ahh!" Danny yelled out and jumped back a few inches. He threw his hand to his chest taking deep breaths. Tucker started laughing, along with the rest of us. That was the best reaction I'd ever seen.

"Happy birthday, Danny! Well, almost." Jack walked over and gave his son a spine-crunching hug. "My little boy, eighteen already!"

"Thanks, dad," he rasped. Jack released him. Everyone proceeded to wish him a happy birthday and give him more hugs. Gentler hugs. I walked up to him as everyone else headed to the kitchen.

"Happy almost birthday," I said. I tried to sound casual, but it came out shy.

"Thanks, Sam," he said, rubbing his neck. "Whose idea was this?"

"Mine. I hope it's okay. I know some people don't like surprises."

"No, no! I think it's great. No one's ever done anything like this for me before."

I laughed. "I could tell. You practically jumped out of your skin and through the roof."

"At least I didn't turn intangible," he replied quietly with a smile.

"Very true. That would have raised a question or two." Danny had told me about his certain ghostly ability diverging to his human half when he sometimes got really nervous. I thought it was funny (and adorable). But I'd be embarrassed, too, if I found myself 'drop-trou' in an awkward situation.

We joined everyone in the kitchen. Maddie made Danny's favorite foods: pot roast with chili-glazed sweet potatoes, and blackberry cobbler. And knowing there was going to be a vegan in the house, she made a dish similar to the pot roast but without the beef. Veggies and the sweet potatoes sat on top of quinoa; a gluten-free, high protein grain that almost looked like rice. I was impressed.

After we all ate, Danny insisted he start opening the presents. His parents got him a pair of Skullcandy headphones and Ghost Hunting for Dummies. He was very excited about the headphones, but not so much about the book considering he _was_ a ghost. Well, half of him, anyway.

Tucker got him Superman #272. Apparently, it was part of the original Superman comic book series that Danny had been collecting since he was twelve. His grin reached his ears.

And Tucker's parents got him The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College. It was partly a joke, partly meant to be helpful. Teenagers don't exactly heed the advice of parents, so why not buy them a book that's relatable?

Everyone looked at me expectantly when it was my turn to give him his present.

"So, what did you make me?" His playful smile literally took my breath away. My reactions to every little thing he did were getting ridiculous.

I ignored the stares as best as I could and swallowed the anxiety. "Come on, I'll show you." I returned his same smile and made my way up the stairs to his bedroom. The butterflies in my stomach were threatening to burst out of me. Butterflies with large, fluttery wings that flapped more viciously with each step I took closer to that room. Thankfully, I heard everyone downstairs conversing. In a way, it was like we had been given some privacy. Not that we needed it.

We entered his bedroom. I swept my arms up to the painting, guiding his vision like I was Vanna White or something. "There it is! I know it's not the best painting in the world, but it took a long time and I thought it was a pretty image and I know you like astronomy so I thought if I could paint a picture of outer space, you'd really like it and-"

Danny stopped my vomitous prattle with a hug. It was a little awkward. I was slightly turned towards the painting, my arms still outstreched. My back was almost to him. His arms wrapped around me in that position with his face buried in my hair. I could feel his breath on my neck. I won't even begin to describe the amount of goosebumps that erupted from my skin.

"Um-" I started. I didn't know what to do with my arms. His were wrapped around my rib cage so I couldn't bring mine down.

He pulled away. "Sorry, I just...can't believe you." I turned to look at him. There was no trace of a playful smile. My eyes narrowed in confusion as I barely cocked my head. Seeing my evident puzzlement, he continued. "You painted me a picture of something I love. You _made_ this. You took time out of your life to do something for me." The tone in his voice and the look on his face was very different from how he usually was: playful and a bit sarcastic, though never failing to show concern. At that moment, his seriousness was bordering on passion. It stirred something in me I couldn't quite place. "How long did it take you, a couple days?"

"Um...no. About three hours." I blushed.

He stared at me and shook his head. "You made this incredible piece of art and it only took you three hours?" His cornflower eyes searched mine. "And you threw me a birthday party." The corner of his mouth lifted up forming a small half smile.

I laughed lightly, mostly out of nervousness. "I guess...I just really want to prove to you that I'm not going to bail on our friendship because of your...secret."

Danny's smile grew larger. Then it faltered and he became somber. "You don't have to prove anything to me, you know. It's more than enough that you're simply around."

"I know," I said quietly and looked away. "But I want to." I looked back at him. "You mean a lot to me and I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost your trust." _And I think I'm falling in love with you_. The thought slammed into my head and I froze in place. All other thoughts stopped as that one line echoed through my mind.

But Danny didn't seem to notice. "You mean a lot to-"

Tucker walked into the room. "Hey, guys." We whipped our heads in his direction. "Whoa. Nice," He flashed a smile at me after he saw the painting. "That's way cooler than the gift I got him. I'll have to come up with something really good for next year." I caught the challenge.

"I'm a talented gift giver, Tuck. There's no way you'll beat me. In fact, _your_ birthday present will leave you in tears."

He narrowed his eyes and smiled deviously. "It's on."

Danny laughed. "Come on, guys. Let's go back downstairs."

"Oh, yeah! That's why I came to get you. We're about to play Apples to Apples." His face became serious in an instant as he looked at Danny. "My name is Tucker Foley. You killed my last game. Prepare to die." He spoke in a Spanish accent, referencing The Princess Bride. I looked over at Danny as Tucker bounced down the stairs.

"Last time we played, I totally kicked his butt." I laughed. As I was about to head down, he grabbed my hand to stop me. I turned to face him. "Thanks for everything," he said quietly. I sucked in my breath as he lightly squeezed my hand.

"You're welcome." He held my gaze for a moment, then let go of my hand and we joined the others.


	9. Quick Note

This is just another author's note. I'm not that amazing to give you two chapters in one day. Haha anywaaay...

I realized that this story is light on the introspective angst and doesn't quite capture what I originally had in mind. Some things have happened in the last couple of years, and I'm free from the gnawing depression that gripped me so tightly. It's amazing, really..how such a fog can be lifted. And I can be open about it. We have been taught to hide our weaknesses. But that only makes them bigger and darker...so they fester and bubble over with new blisters every time we pick at them. We cower away and hide from getting to where we're supposed to be because we're so familiar with our hurt that it's become comfortable. And we're scared of change.

But we shouldn't have to be afraid. Or feel ashamed. Or ugly. Or abandoned, or rejected, or hopeless, or lost...

WOW it is so hard to not write you a book on what I'm thinking right now haha.

Anyway, I guess my lack of pain and suffering has affected my writing. SO, I will try to make some changes in the chapters to come. Unless you all like where this is going. I just find it hard to believe how well-adjusted Sam is with everything that has happened/is happening with her family. I want this to be believable, but I do still want her to be okay. She's a fighter.

Let me in on your thoughts, please! You are encouraging.


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